Sand slinger

ABSTRACT

At the discharge opening of a sand slinger head, translatable in a circular path during sand slinger machine operations, a swingable flap plate is mounted to the head housing by a pivot parallel to the slinger wheel axis as an extension of a fixed casing wall portion about the path of the slinger wheel blade. The flap plate is grossly oscillated or swung with a primary oscillatory motion by a fluid-powered double-acting piston cylinder unit, at 50 to 250 c.p.m. with adjustability from operator&#39;&#39;s station of the stroke midpoint, of the frequency, and of amplitude or angular stroke length of from 1* to 20*, and further is vibrated with a smaller superimposed secondary motion through an angle of 1* to 3* at a much higher frequency of about 1000 c.p.m. by an attached vibrator. Also a high speed rotating eccentric drive for the gross or primary swing is described. A process of slinger application of a refractory composition in plastic state to pouring ladles is described, wherein the discharge stream of composition slugs or balls, on each turn of the slinger machine, traces a sinusoidal path of application in the annular space between a vessel wall to be lined and a temporary forming ring, with a phase displacement of the sinusoidal loops on successive turns, thereby to improve evenness of application and uniformity of compaction of the lining composition.

United States Patent [1 1 Axmann 1 SAND SLINGER [76] Inventor: Felix Axmann, Freiligrath Str. 35,

Cologne-Lindenthal, Germany [22] Filed: Aug. 10, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 387,286

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 18,943, March 12, 1970,

abandoned.

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 31, 1970 Germany 2004429 [52] U.S. CL... 164/20, 164/198, 264/30, 264/309 [51] Int. Cl. B22C /20 [58] Field of Search 239/665, 666; 164/198,

Primary E.\'aminer--M. Henson Wood, Jr. Assistant Examiner-John J. Love Attorney, Agent, or Firm-P. D. Golrick I I l I t I I I I v r I I Mar. 25, 1975 [57] ABSTRACT At the discharge opening of a sand slinger head, translatable in a circular path during sand slinger machine operations, a swingable flap plate is mounted to the head housing by a pivot parallel to the slinger wheel axis as an extension of a fixed casing wall portion about the path of the slinger Wheel blade. The flap plate is grossly oscillated or swung with a primary oscillatory motion by a fluid-powered double-acting piston cylinder unit, at 50 to 250 c.p.m. with adjustability from operators station of the stroke midpoint, of the frequency, and of amplitude or angular stroke length of from 1 to and further is vibrated with a smaller superimposed secondary motion through an angle of 1 to 3 at a much higher frequency of about 1000 c.p.m. by an attached vibrator. Also a high speed rotating eccentric drive for the gross or primary swing is described. A process of slinger application ol a refractory composition in plastic state to pouring ladles is described, wherein the discharge stream of composition slugs or balls, on each turn of the slinger machine, traces a sinusoidal path of application in the annular space between a vessel wall to be lined and a temporary forming ring, with a phase displacement of the sinusoidal loops on successive turns, thereby to improve evenness of application and uniformity of compaction of the lining composition.

Claims, 8 Drawing Figures V PMENTED M25197?) SHEET 2 0F 6 FIG. 3

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INVENTOR. F. AXMANN SAND SLINGER This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 18,943, filed Mar. 12, l970, and now abandoned.

The present invention relates to a method and to a slinger head of a sand slinger machine for the compacted application of compositions in a plastic state, especially in the preparation of the lining of pits, converters, casting ladles, torpedo ladles, other ladles for iron and steel, and like vessels which must have a heat resistant or refractory wall lining, though having broader utility.

The filling of flasks with molding sand for preparation of metal casting molds, and as well the application and compaction of the refractory composition in a plastic state to the side walls of pits, converters, various ladles or like vessels for molten iron or steel, are carried out in steel works by use of sand slinger machines. This type of machine includes a slinging head having a slinger wheel rapidly rotating in a vertical plane and provided on its periphery with a slinger blade which engages the composition, generally charged into the slinger head housing over a fast conveyor belt and through a filling funnel, to fling slugs of the composition along a discharge path tangential to the wheel. Since the blade rotates with a peripheral velocity of some 50 to 65 meters per second, the charged material is projected in' a discharge stream of such slugs with great force into the mold box, flask or the interspace between a temporary forming ring and the side wall of the ladle or other vessel to be lined.

It is a known expedient, in orderto better reach the entire space to be filled to change the discharge stream direction by tilting the slinger head, that is the slinger wheel housing. Since the prior proposals for manual tilting of the slinger head often turned out to be difficult or even impossible, a consequence of the considerable reaction forces arising opposite to the discharge direction, there has already been a change over to the use of a special power drive for this purpose arranged on the outrigger or arm carryingthe slinger head. However, such drives involve considerable and costly mechanism and constructional expedients.

To overcome these disadvantages, it has been proposed that a non-tilting head include on the inner circumference of its wheel housing a casing or lining element which is secured shiftably within certain limits fixed by openings of the wheel housing, for the purpose of changing the discharge direction. There has also been a proposal to provide on the wheel housing a plate manually shiftable about an axis coaxial to the wheel for altering the discharge direction.

All such prior expedients, whether involving tilting of the slinger head or actuation of a plate, served merely to change the discharge stream direction thereby to enable slinging overa largerangular extent. Hence both the shift of the plate and the adjustment through turning of the slinger head were made only over long intervals. A to and fro tilting of the head is possible only ten times a minute at the most. Likewise a hand swinging of the plate is expected or possible only over rather long intervals. Also the shiftable housing liner is only suitable and provided for actuation over relatively great intervals. In none of such cases is there involved a discharge directing plate driven in a swinging or oscillatory manner to deflect the wheel projected composition slugs in a continually changing direction.

The discharge stream of such prior apparatus impinges on one spot where it is aimed for some time, there forming a cone of the composition. Such operation, however, does not lead to uniform compaction but rather, depending upon the cone size, differing compactions occur in the lining, form or mold produced.

The general objects of the present invention are to provide an improved method slinging mold sand, re

fractory liner and like compositions, which avoids for-' mation of the aforementioned cone and distributes the composition evenly and with uniform compaction, and also to provide an improved slinger head for the carrying out of such method.

In the broader novel method aspect of this invention, material of the type above mentioned to be applied in what may be called loosely a tubular space, (as comprehending the circumferentially continuous space, between a hollow outer first element and the outer surface of a second element inserted within and in spaced relation to the first, e.g. elements of circular or other curved cross sections, or of polygonal cross sections) is formed into a continuous discharge of roughly equal slugs, projected in a continuous stream narrower than the thickness of the tubular space and directed into the said space; the stream is translated at a uniform rate repeatedly around the circumference of the tubular space, and at the same time the direction of the stream is rapidly swung in and out across the instantaneous local width of and within the tubular space until a desired fill is attained. Consequently with each passage of the stream around the space, the material impact path traces what might be termed a crude sinusoidal curve, the loops of which will generally be out of phase on successive traverses or circuits thereby conducing to more uniform distribution and compacting of the applied material. Chance in-phase relation is easily eliminated upon occurrence by a slight change in swing frequency or traverse speed.

Such a method can aptly be carried out by sand slinging apparatus with improved slinger head as hereinafter described but also by other means.

To this end, at the discharge outlet in a sand slinger head there is disposed on the wheel housing a flap plate swingable about an axis for changing the discharge stream direction, which plate in accordance with the invention is angularly oscillated or swung with a fre quency greater than 50 strokes per minute, more usually at a frequency of to 280 strokes per minute, but at even as high as 300 strokes per minute.

Thus the oscillating flap plate is swung at a rather high frequency, and thereby there is attained a distribution of the material with a uniformity hitherto neither attempted nor attainable, and this leads to a uniformity and also a degree of compaction greater than hitherto possible.

Moreover, the flap plate is moved in a controllable manner to an angular extent of from 1 to 20, and ad vantageously the amplitude or the excursion of the swinging plate is at all times changeable ina stepless manner. Hence the swing of the plate can be suited to the width of the opening which is to be filled with the composition. Preferably the slug deflecting face of the swinging plate is comprised of a changeable wear plate.

Moreover, by a further aspect of the invention, there is superimposed upon the above described motion of the plate (herein at times designated primary" motion) an additional vibration at a frequency of 1000 and more cycles per minute in an angular amount or amplitude of from 1 to 3.

The inventive method and apparatus are particularly advantageously applied in preparing linings of iron and steel ladles, of pits or the like, into which there are successively introduced male forms or mold rings, with respective heights corresponding to a part of the ladle wall height where the stream of the composition in plastic state is applied in several circumferentially operating working cycles, to the height of the free upper edge of the respectively uppermost ring.

One slinger head for carrying out the inventive process is characterized by a pendulum-like flap plate at the discharge outlet opening of the wheel housing, angularly oscillating or swinging about a pivot axis extending parallel to the wheel axis, and actuated by a pneumatically or hydraulically powered piston-cylinder assembly, likewise mounted on the head housing to extend at substantially a right angle to the plate to which its piston rod is pivotally linked. The aforementioned piston-cylinder assembly further advantageously comprises a first cylinder having a double-acting piston with a double-ended piston rod projecting out of both cylinder end heads and carrying respective stop lugs. In this assembly parallel to the first said cylinder, there is included a second cylinder subdivided into two aligned chambers in each of which there is disposed a respective double-acting piston a single-ended piston rod projecting from the respective outer end of the cylinder chamber. The extent of the projection of the respective single-ended rods from their chambers in cooperation with the respective stop lugs on the double ended rod of the first cylinder limit and determine the stroke of the latter in both directions and accordingly establish the primary angular excursion of the oscillating flap plate.

Alternatively the oscillating flap plate may be swung by means of a mechanical eccentric drive likewise disposed on the slinger head housing.

A further feature is the mounting on the flap plate itself of a vibrator unit to impart vibration to the plate as a secondary" motion with a frequency of 1000 and more cycles per minute.

The oscillated flap plate with respect to its large primary displacement range and region is moreover controllable by the operator from a control panel or station. The operator controls both the frequency and the extent of the deflection angle as functions which can be varied independently of one another. In such case it is advantageous to set the angular amplitude of the high frequency or secondary" late motion depending upon the composition which is to be introduced and not to change this during the slinging process.

A further feature of the invention is the construction of the upper wall of the filling funnel on the head housing either wholly or in part with a wear plate in combination with a heating plate. The plastic composition is delivered by a conveying belt at high velocity into the charging or delivery funnel and thus impinges against the inside wall of the funnel, but does not basically injure the funnel because of the wear plate type construction. Since the mold sand or lining composition reaching the filling funnel generally is moist, it does not stick on the funnel wear plate heated by the heating plate, since the heating plate extensively impedes the sticking 4 and any temporarily lightly adhering composition particles readily drop off.

Anothe inventive feature is that the circumferential surface of the slinger head housing, in the region of slug transport by the slinger blade, is comprised of several wear plates joined to each other by tongue and groove formations. In a particularly advantageous arrangement of this construction, the first and the last of the joined wear plates are each provided with a respective externally projecting integral lug and the lug of the lower wear plate is supported on a housing projection while the lug on the upper wear plate is secured by a cooperating lug of a tensioning screw extending through and externally secured with respect to the head housing.

A considerable air displacement naturally is produced within the housing by the rapidly rotating wheel. Consequently a strong air stream is produced, which is released either at the head discharge opening or, as experience has shown, is expelled in part through the filling funnel, thereby disturbing the proper charging of the composition, and adversely affecting the discharge stream distribution. In the disclosed structure the part of the air stream which hitherto hindered the introduction of the material through the funnel is eliminated by venting immediately before the funnel through an opening purposely provided in the housing.

Further, as seen in the direction of wheel rotation, in the region immediately before the oscillating flap plate, a moisture supply passage opens into the housing. The supply of the moisture content proper for the composition is thus achieved in the discharge stream, so that a uniform addition is assured. Thus the final moisture content ofthe material can be adjusted and liquid binding agents can also be added, including also such as act as lubricants, for example, sulfite liquor, through addition into the discharge composition stream. Making such additions to the composition in the slinger discharge stream has the advantage that no sticking or deposition of the composition within the slinger head housing can be caused thereby. Introduction at this point, of the moisture and the like to a required final content, permits delivery to the slinger head housing of a composition having a moisture content such that blockage of-the slinger head housing is not to be feared; nor is delivery by means of a fast travelling conveying belt adversely affected by the moisture content.

These several further structural features thus also have the objective of minimizing conditions or occurrences adversely affecting an even regular discharge and in so doing are also conducive to uniform compaction of the applied composition.

Through these several method and apparatus expedients, advantageously a broader uniform spreading and compaction of the composition is obtainable.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description and the drawings of a particular embodiment wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partially in section, of an installation comprising the environment of use of a sand slinger incorporating or carrying out various aspects of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a smaller scale plan view of the installation of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a separate representation of the sand slinger machine;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section through the slinger head;

FIG. 5 represents schematically the displacements and motions of an oscillating flap plate incorporated in the slinger head;

FIG. 6 is a perspective detail view of one type driving means for the oscillating plate;

FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of drive and control means for oscillating plate of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a horizontal cross-section taken along the line VIIIVIII through the casting ladle in FIG. 1.

To illustrate the environment of use and application of the invention, there is shown in FIG. 1 a steel plant ladle relining facility, equipped with appropriate conveying means (not shown) such as a bridge crane to deliver and position a ladle L on the working station floor 10 for relining with refractory material; a sand slinger machine 8 (also individually shown in FIG. 3) supported on the top of temporary inner form ring units A, B, C successively tiered in the ladle to define successive annular portions of the space in which the refractory lining is progressively formed; on platform 30, a refractory composition storage and supply system R delivering an appropriate lining composition to the sand slinger; and a crane D (not shown in FIG. I, and only symbolized in FIG. 2 by a hatched sector indicating its working swing about its column 39) for handling the sand slinger and the form ring units. The refractory lining material is applied in an initially plastic condition to the ladle wall inside surface as hereinafter described.

In supply system R, frame 31 on platform 30 supports a composition storage and supply hopper 32 with a moving bottom formed by a roll-supported conveying belt 33 driven through a drive roll 34 and motor 35 to drop the composition upon a further conveying belt 36 disposed on a swinging frame 37. The latter, angularly adjustable relative to horizontal and swingable about a vertical axle 38, is in effect extensible in length so that it can discharge into a receiving funnel 26 on the top of the sand slinger S.

The refractory brick or stone lining 13 is already emplaced, for the ladle bottom 12, before the unit A is inserted; and the slightly conically expanding side wall 14 has a thin permanent durable lining 15 on which the refractory relining is applied.

Apart from dimensions suited to the ladle taper and a lack of formations 22 in unit A, the form ring units A, B, C are generally similar assemblies with like parts similarly numbered. Each as in the lower unit A comprises an outer collar 16 rigidly supported by top and bottom inwardly extending flat rings 17 and radial reinforcement web plates 18 running in to a central ring 19 with a circular track 20 on its upper edge for support of sand slinger S. In the units B and C, the bottoms of the radial plates 18,are shaped to present centering formations as at 22' to the inner edge of the circular track 20' or 20" of an underlying ring unit.

Thus after progressive application of the lining 21 by the sand slinger machine up to the upper edge of the forming ring on the track of which it is supported, by crane D the machine 5 is removed, another ring unit set in place and the machine 5 again set in place upon the circular track of the new ring unit to proceed with the lining application. Such dividing of the total filling operation into three distinct stages is by far preferred, as the discharge impacting conditions and operating conditions change less in each smaller stage than would be the case with filling carried out from the total ladle height.

The slinger machine comprises a base 23 supported by a set ofat least three circular track engaging rollers 24 with at least one driven to turn the machine continually about the collinear axes of the ring units and ladle; an upright 25 crowned with supply funnel 26; a rollersupported slide 27 radially movable to and fro as an outrigger support arm carrying on its outer end the slinger head H, from which the lining composition slut stream 29 discharges approximately vertically downward; and a roller supported conveyor belt 44 as a movable bottom for hopper 44b, to transport to the head H material deposited through 26 into 44b. The driving and control means for turning the entire machine on a track 20, for moving the slide 27 and hence head H radially to and fro, for driving belt 44, and driving the hereinafter mentioned slinger wheel in head H, are not detailed since per se known.

In the slinger head H (see FIG. 4), the housing 28 circumferentially encloses and between its end walls supports the slinger wheel 47 with blade 46, defining with the oscillating plate 41 a discharge outlet opening and also providing a charging inlet funnel 45. The pendulum-like flap plate 41 is swingable about its pivot axis 40 extending parallel to wheel axis 47a by the motion of the piston rod 42 of a pneumatic or hydraulically powered piston-cylinder assembly 43 secured to the housing in a position clear of blade 46.

The plastic lining composition (represented by the arrows 29 indicating its directions of motion at various points) is delivered by belt 44 through funnel 45 into the housing top region whence it is caught by blade 46 of wheel 47 rotated with a peripheral velocily of from about 50 to 65 meters per second, depending upon the lining composition and the desired compaction thereof.

The upper wall of the inlet funnel 45 is formed by a wear plate 67 in combination with a heating plate 68. The latter prevents the adherance of the composition inside of the funnel, especially as the composition 29 is delivered into the funnel 45 with high velocity and thereby impinges against the funnel of the inner wall. The inner circumferential surface of the head housing adjacent the wheel, in the region of material transport by the blade 46, comprises several curved wear plates 69, 69, 69" connected by successive tongue and groove joints and preferably engaged endwise in slots on opposite housing end walls.

Here the first and last plates 69, 69" (as encountered in the direction of wheel movement) have respective outwardly projecting integral lugs, with the lower plate lug 70 supported on a head housing projection 71, while the lug 72 on the first plate 69 is engaged by a lug 73 provided on the securing screw 74 extending outwardly through the housing wall and there secured. Also an air venting opening 75 is located in the housing region adjacent to and before the filling funnel 45 as considered relative to the wheel rotational direction. In the region immediately before the flap plate, there is located the discharge opening ofa moisture supply passage 76 into the housing.

In conventional arrangements during normal operation, the composition stream 29 discharges with a constant direction relative to the housing; but here the oscillating flap plate 41 affords a continual change of discharge direction, and indeed to the extent of an inward (counter clockwise in FIG. 4) deflection or divergency of as much as 20 from the uninfluenced tangential discharge direction prevailing at the moment when the plate 41 is at its maximum outward excursion, the position shown in FIG. 4. The oscillating plate 41 advantageously is swung about its pivot axis 40 in a primary oscillating motion having a frequency on the order of 200 cycles or strokes per minute (though selectable within a range from 50 to preferably 300 c.p.s.) by a device as described in relation to FIGS. 6 and 7. By stroke or cycle is to be understood a complete to and fro reciprocation or swing.

It is to be noted that the drive for setting the oscillating plate in primary vibration with high frequency also can be provided through other drives, for example, through a fast turning and adjustable eccentric device having an output or reciprocating rod such as rod 42.

As may be seen from FIG. 6 particularly showing a preferred actuator, the oscillating flap plate 41 has a changeable wear plate 63 as its slug guiding face. A pivot stud 41a on plate 41 pivotally engages the link 48 serving as an extension of one end ofa double-ended piston rod 42 (see also FIG. 7) of a double-acting piston 49 reciprocatable in cylinder 43, from the other end of which projects the second end 42' of the piston rod. Respective parallel radial stops or strikers 50 and 50' are provided on piston rod ends 42', 42 respectively cooperating with piston rods 57, 56 (as hereinafter described) as adjustable stop means to enable changing the plate-actuating piston rod stroke not only in length but also to mid-point location and therewith similarly changing the angular excursion of the plate 41.

To attain this function, parallel to the cylinder 43 and forming therewith a piston-cylinder assembly, there is arranged a second cylinder 51 divided into two separate piston chambers 52 and 52 with respective doubleacting pistons 54 and 55 each having merely singleended" piston rods 56 and 57 extensible from the opposite ends of the cylinder chambers and operated in the manner hereinafter described.

The pressurized fluid supply and exhaust line manifold P and T (connected to a pressure fluid supply system not shown) are respectively connected through fluid reversing control valves 58, 61 and 62 and respective controlled line pairs to the opposite ends of each of the above described cylinder chambers 43, 53 and 51; for example, as shown by lines 59, 60 to the cylinder 43. The control valves 61 and 62 are preferably located at an operators station control panel and have a hold" position as well as two shift positions; while valve 58 may be actuated by variably timed shifting means establishing a desired frequency of flap plate oscillation as far preferable to attempts at manual operation.

The manner of operation is as follows By alternating settings of the control valve 58, liquid pressure is alternatingly applied and released through lines 59 and 60 to opposite sides of the piston 49. For example, with alternating switching of valve 58 at 200 c.p.m., the piston makes 200 strokes per minute, and accordingly, so also the oscillating plate. For flexibility of application the range of primary swing frequencies may cover 50 to 300 strokes per minute.

Adjustment of the length of the strokes and swings thus produced, and also of the location of the midpoints thereof, is enabled by the aforementioned pistons 54 and 55, piston rods 56 and 57 with their associated control valves 61 and 62. By these valves, each having a hold or fluid blocking position as well as pposite direction shift positions, the respective rods 57 and 56 are each set to project and be locked at a desired extent from the respective cylinder. The aforementioned stops or projections 50 and 50 on piston rods 42, 42 by striking and stopping against the respective piston rods 56 and 57 thus establish the stroke length of the piston rod 42 and thereby the angular excursion of the oscillating plate. It is understood, of course, that with the switching and control arrange ment of FIG. 7, by the control valves both the frequency and the amplitude of a primary swing motion can be established, and adjusted at all times.

Further (see FIG. 6) the pivot shaft 40 of the oscillating plate is torsionally resiliently supported or journalled at 40a in a synthetic plastic elastomer or in rubber. Hence when slugs projected by the slinger blade 46 impinge on and glance from the plate 41 with a change of direction, the oscillating plate is also set into the characteristic or natural vibration of the system, thereby further conducing to uniform distribution of the composition. Under some circumstances, however, it is advantageous and advisable to mount a vibrator unit 64 on the plate 41 to set the plate in vibration at a frequency of 1000 and more cycles or strokes per minute with a small angular excursion superimposed on the movement effected by cylinder unit 43.

Instead of using the vibrator means 64 mounted on the plate itself to produce such a secondary smaller amplitude-higher frequency motion, it can also be added by appropriate means secured to the housing and applying a corresponding force to the entire assembly of cylinders 43-51 along a line not intersecting the axis of a pivot pin through assembly mounting hole 77, about which pin the assembly is then allowed some pivoting corresponding to the high-frequency added excursion desired.

FIG. 5 shows the maximum excursion ,8 of the oscillating plate over an angle of 20 as the motion induced by cylinder unit 43,while simultaneously the plate is being vibrated by vibrator unit 64 with a much higher frequency over an angular amount of a of from 1 to 3 which though separately represented is actually superimposed on the first or primary motion.

Referring now to FIG. 8, the cylindrically annular hollow space, the tubular space between the ladle wall 14 and the forming ring 16, is being filled with the lining composition discharging from the orbiting slinging head as a stream ofslugs directed into the space and moving about the fixed axis 65 in the direction 66 repeatedly in a major movement to traverse or orbit the circularly continuous extent of the space, with a stream traversing velocity of 20 meters per minute (about 33 cm per second), which is, of course, the head orbiting velocity, while the flap plate 41 swings with a primary plate oscillating frequency of 200 strokes per minute and with an amplitude causing the impact point to travel to and fro from one wall to the other. Thus the centerline of the impact path being traced is serpentine, or what may be called crudely sinusoidalas it advances in the tubular, or hollow annular, space. Therefore with the circular traverse speed and with the platehence stream deflection rate-as stated, in a reach of 33 cm the composition is laid down in three successive double loops (solid line); and on the next rotation or circular traverse, a phase displacement of the path trace has occurred, so that the impact path centerline or trace on the next rotation (represented in dotted lines) is displaced from the first.

With successive rotations or orbiting traverses there is, in practical sense, always a phase displacement, as in self-evident, since the trace curves on successive rotations could coincide with each other only by the sheerest accident of the linear speed, frequency and mean circumference of the circular space having necessary values, and such coincidence is immediately correctable upon observation. Hence there results a uniform distribution of the composition, or in other words there always is an overlapping (rather than superimposition) of the sinuous centerline of the impact path trace of the plastic slugs discharged from the slinger blade 46. Such slugs may have a length of 140 mm (the blade width) and a width of 40 mm, for example, as they leave the slinger blade; but through encountering the oscillating plate these dimensions are obliterated. About 30 slugs per secondare discharged by the sling er wheel at normal speeds. The dimensions of the slugs are given only for demonstration by way of example to show, with respect to these dimensions and the course of the curves of FIG. 8, that through use of the rapidly oscillating plate a uniform distribution takes place.

The instantaneous adjustability of the angular extent of the excursion of the plate by the actuating and control means of FIGS. 6-7 enables quick adjustment of the composition stream to the width and location of the annular slot; also to requirements of localized wall thickening as sometimes may be required and provided for by the inner form shapes relative to the wall being relined, and also taking into consideration and adjusting for the spacing distance ofthe slinging head relative to the impact point as the height of fill advances. With increasing spacing distance, smaller displacement angles of the plate are to be maintained than with smaller spacing, in order to distribute the composition over the entire slot width in the represented sine-curve-like path. Also the instantaneous control of frequency is advantageous, for as the traverse speed of the stream, i.e., ofthe head, is increased, or the gap to be filled widens, the frequency is advantageously to be increased.

From the aforegoing it is observed that the disclosed apparatus represents one overall means which is adapted effectively to carry out the broad method aspects of the invention, as described in the general introduction to this specification, for the composition is divided into continuously produced like slugs; the slugs projected into a tubular space to be filled as a constant flow stream which stream is continually advanced repeatedly around the closed circumference of the tubular space maintaining an average rough parallelism of the stream to a fixed central axis, while the stream is actually deflected in oscillatory manner to shift the place of impact continually to and fro between the inner and outer wall surfaces defining the tubular space to be filled. Of course, other expedients could be used; for example, a conventional slinger head with other means than the flap plate to impart oscillating deflection to the stream, such as a shiftable deflecting plate separate from the head, a pulsating air blast with component directed transverse to the stream, or other deflecting force applying expedient depending upon properties of the material slugs.

In the context of the attempts to describe the space into which the material is filled, the limitations of language are to be recognized in construing the term tu bular space, intended to embrace space open at one end and defined between say a female" wall surface surrounding a male wall surface, of which space various sections would be annular in the sense at least of continuity in closing upon themselves though irregular in outline, or strip width, and which space may have a tapering aspect, as would be the case of the space defined between tapering male and female surfaces, round or say rectangular in crosssection, even with differing tapers or non-coaxial though spaced relation.

I claim:

l. A method of filling a material in an at least semiplastic or moldable condition into a tubular space defined between an outer, female, wall surface and an inner, male, surface with periphery spaced from the female surface, and having a closed bottom, comprising: dividing the material into continually produced similar slugs; projecting said slugs as produced in a constant flow stream into the tubular space towards its bottom, while continually advancing said. stream in repeated circuits around the closed circumference of said tubular space and while maintaining a rough parallelism of the average centerline of the stream relative to a fixed central axis; rapidly deflecting said stream in an oscillatory manner, transverse to the direction in which the stream is advancing, to shift the place of stream impact continually to and fro between the inner and outer surface 5; the aforedescribed procedure being carried on through sufficient repeated circuits of the stream until the said space is filled.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said stream is angularly deflected.-

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the totalamplitude of a resultant deflection of the point of stream impact is on the order of the distance of stream advance for each deflection cycle.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the stream is angularly deflected through a selected angle of from 1 to 20.

5. The method of claim 1 as a process for compacting application of a lining composition in plastic state particularly in preparation of the lining of a ladle or like vessel for molten metal where said female surface is the vessel surface to be relined, and said male surface provided by an inserted form unit, and further carried out with a sand slinger having a swingable flap plate pivoted in the slinger wheel housing to swong about an axis parallel to the wheel axis in order to change the slinger head direction of discharge of a said stream comprised of slugs of said composition produced and projected by the slinger wheel, with angular oscillation of said plate at a frequency of at least 50 strokes per minute to deflect said stream.

6. A process as described in claim 5 with said fre quency within the range of from to 300 per minute.

7. A process as described in claim 5 wherein said plate is swung through a selected angle lying between 1 to 20.

8. A process as described in claim 5 wherein said plate is swung through a selected angle lying between 1 to 20 and superimposed on said swinging motion has a vibrating motion through an angular amplitude of from 1 to 3 with a frequency of at least 1000 cycles per minute.

9. A process as described in claim 5 wherein the application of the lining is carried out in stages with a succession of inserted form units added one to another as the filling of each is completed.

10. A sand slinger machine having:

a slinger head, and means shiftably supporting and driving the slinger head as a whole relative to a region to be filled with slung material to cause a head discharge stream of slung material to traverse a said region with a major motion for distribution of the material over the entire region;

said slinger head having a bladed slinger wheel,

a housing mounting the wheel for high speed rotation and providing also a circumferential casing about the wheel,

a charging funnel inlet opening through the casing,

and

a discharge outlet from the casing,

a flap plate at the discharge outlet swingable about a pivot shaft inwardly beyond a line tangential to the inner circumferential surface of the casing at the upstream side of said discharge outlet thereby to vary the head wheel discharge direction,

and power driven means mounted on the housing and connected with said flap plate to swing the plate about said pivot shaft at a frequency of swing of at least 50 cycles per minute whereby the wheel discharge direction is varied in an oscillatory manner relative to said major motion.

11. The sand slinger machine as described in claim wherein said power driven means comprises a rotating eccentric drive.

12. The sand slinger machine as described in claim 10 wherein said power driven means comprises:

a pressurized fluid powered piston-cylinder assembly including a double-acting piston linked to said flap plate.

13. The sand slinger machine as described in claim 10 wherein said power driven means includes a pressurized fluid actuated piston-cylinder assembly comprismg:

a first cylinder having a double-acting piston with a double-ended piston rod having the rod ends projecting from respective cylinder ends,

one rod end being connected with said flap plate to swing the same,

parallel stop projections extending radially from the respective projecting portions of said piston rod,

a second cylinder adjacent and parallel to the first cylinder, but divided into two separate aligned piston chambers each having a respective double acting piston with a respective single-ended piston rod extending through the corresponding end of the second cylinder. the orientation and length of said stop projections being such as to encounter the ends of the respective said single-ended piston rods as cooperative stop means limiting the travel of the first piston in respective directions and thereby the swing of said flap plate in both directions.

14. The sand slinger machine as described in claim 13 including means for alternately applying fluid pressure to opposite ends of the first piston-cylinder unit at a rate corresponding to a desired frequency of plate swing, and

means for applying fluid pressure to said chambers to set and hold the single ended rods at desired extents of projection for determining the extent and region of plate swing excursion.

15. The sand slinger machine as described in claim 10 wherein the pivot shaft of said flap plate is journalled in resilient bushings as elastic support allowing vibration in the plate additional to its pivotal swing.

16. The sand slinger machine as described in claim 10 wherein a plate vibrating unit is mounted on said flap plate to oscillate the plate with a frequency superimposed on its swing frequency.

17. They sand slinger machine as described in claim 10 wherein said housing includes a charging inlet funnel having a down stream wall side of the funnel comprised of a wear plate in combination with a heating plate.

18. The sand slinger machine as described in claim 10 wherein the portion of the said casing, extending over the path reach in which charged slung material is engaged by the slinger wheel blade, is comprised of a plurality of replaceable wear plates successively joined to one another by tongue and groove formations.

19. The sand slinger machine as described in claim 18 wherein as considered relative to wheel rotation direction, the last and first plates of said plurality are provided with respective outwardly extending integral lugs.

the lug of the last plate engaged by a fixed projection of said housing, and the lug of the first plate is engaged by a lug of a securing screw extending through the housing and externally tightened and secured relative to the housing.

20. The sand slinger machine as described in claim 10 wherein there is provided an air venting opening in said housing in the region immediately before the charging inlet as seen in the direction of wheel rotation.

21. The sand slinger machine as described in claim 10 wherein in the region immediately before the location of the flap plate as seen in the direction of wheel rotation, there is provided the discharge opening of a moisture supply passage into the housing.

22. The sand slinger machine as described in claim 10, wherein said means supporting and driving the slinger head shiftably as a whole comprises means supporting and driving the head to orbit about an axis and thereby to cause a head discharge stream in a said major motion to travel along a closed circuit region to be filled with slung material.

23. The sand slinger machine as described in claim 10, wherein said flap plate on its inner side is provided with a changeable wear plate.

24. The sand slinger machine as described in claim 10, wherein the axis of the flap plate pivot shaft extends substantially parallel to the wheel axis.

25. The sand slinger machine as described in claim 10, wherein said means supporting and driving the slinger head shiftably as a whole comprises means supporting and driving the head to orbit about an axis and thereby to cause a head discharge stream in a said major motion to travel along a closed circuit region to be filled with slung material; and

said slinger head disposed with said flap plate oriented to be swinging in a direction generally transverse to the path of the head as it orbits about said axis, and thereby the wheel discharge direction being oscillatorily continuously varied generally transversely to said major motion.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO. 3 372 12 DATED March 25, 1975 INVENTOR(S) I FELIX AX ATIII it is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On title gage add:

[73] Assiqnee: =--artin &- Paqenstecrrer CIEbZI,

' Colognerfuelheim, Germany, by direct ancl by mesne assignments Column 3, line 30, piston "single endec." piston r06 shoulc read piston having a "sinale-enrlec?" piston ro6.

Colurm 4, line 3, "Mrothe" shoul5 res-rel 2=nother-.

Column 6, line ts, "slut should rear --sluq--.

Column 8, line 4, 50 and 50" should reac -50' and 50--.

Column. 9, line 5, "as in" should. read as is.

Column ll, line 56, "cygrlinreer. should read --cy1in er,-.

w Q ,1" C Signed and sealer; ch15 lst Cray Ol July 1 7").

(SEAL) Attest:

C. E'IARSEALL DANE! RUTH C. MASON Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer and Trademarks 

1. A method of filling a material in an at least semi-plastic or moldable condition into a tubular space defined between an outer, female, wall surface and an inner, male, surface with periphery spaced from the female surface, and having a closed bottom, comprising: dividing the material into continually produced similar slugs; projecting said slugs as produced in a constant flow stream into the tubular space towards its bottom, while continually advancing said stream in repeated circuits around the closed circumference of said tubular space and while maintaining a rough parallelism of the average centerline of the stream relative to a fixed central axis; rapidly deflecting said stream in an oscillatory manner, transverse to the direction in which the stream is advancing, to shift the place of stream impact continually to and fro between the inner and outer surface 5; the aforedescribed procedure being carried on through sufficient repeated circuits of the stream until the said space is filled.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said stream is angularly deflected.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the total amplitude of a resultant deflection of the point of stream impact is on the order of the distance of stream advance for each deflection cycle.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the stream is angularly deflected through a selected angle of from 1* to 20*.
 5. The method of claim 1 as a process for compacting application of a lining composition in plastic state particularly in Preparation of the lining of a ladle or like vessel for molten metal where said female surface is the vessel surface to be relined, and said male surface provided by an inserted form unit, and further carried out with a sand slinger having a swingable flap plate pivoted in the slinger wheel housing to swong about an axis parallel to the wheel axis in order to change the slinger head direction of discharge of a said stream comprised of slugs of said composition produced and projected by the slinger wheel, with angular oscillation of said plate at a frequency of at least 50 strokes per minute to deflect said stream.
 6. A process as described in claim 5 with said frequency within the range of from 150 to 300 per minute.
 7. A process as described in claim 5 wherein said plate is swung through a selected angle lying between 1* to 20*.
 8. A process as described in claim 5 wherein said plate is swung through a selected angle lying between 1* to 20* and superimposed on said swinging motion has a vibrating motion through an angular amplitude of from 1* to 3* with a frequency of at least 1000 cycles per minute.
 9. A process as described in claim 5 wherein the application of the lining is carried out in stages with a succession of inserted form units added one to another as the filling of each is completed.
 10. A sand slinger machine having: a slinger head, and means shiftably supporting and driving the slinger head as a whole relative to a region to be filled with slung material to cause a head discharge stream of slung material to traverse a said region with a major motion for distribution of the material over the entire region; said slinger head having a bladed slinger wheel, a housing mounting the wheel for high speed rotation and providing also a circumferential casing about the wheel, a charging funnel inlet opening through the casing, and a discharge outlet from the casing, a flap plate at the discharge outlet swingable about a pivot shaft inwardly beyond a line tangential to the inner circumferential surface of the casing at the upstream side of said discharge outlet thereby to vary the head wheel discharge direction, and power driven means mounted on the housing and connected with said flap plate to swing the plate about said pivot shaft at a frequency of swing of at least 50 cycles per minute whereby the wheel discharge direction is varied in an oscillatory manner relative to said major motion.
 11. The sand slinger machine as described in claim 10 wherein said power driven means comprises a rotating eccentric drive.
 12. The sand slinger machine as described in claim 10 wherein said power driven means comprises: a pressurized fluid powered piston-cylinder assembly including a double-acting piston linked to said flap plate.
 13. The sand slinger machine as described in claim 10 wherein said power driven means includes a pressurized fluid actuated piston-cylinder assembly comprising: a first cylinder having a double-acting piston with a double-ended piston rod having the rod ends projecting from respective cylinder ends, one rod end being connected with said flap plate to swing the same, parallel stop projections extending radially from the respective projecting portions of said piston rod, a second cylinder adjacent and parallel to the first cylinder, but divided into two separate aligned piston chambers each having a respective double acting piston with a respective single-ended piston rod extending through the corresponding end of the second cylinder. the orientation and length of said stop projections being such as to encounter the ends of the respective said single-ended piston rods as cooperative stop means limiting the travel of the first piston in respective directions and thereby the swing of said flap plate in both directions.
 14. The sand slinger machine as deScribed in claim 13 including means for alternately applying fluid pressure to opposite ends of the first piston-cylinder unit at a rate corresponding to a desired frequency of plate swing, and means for applying fluid pressure to said chambers to set and hold the single ended rods at desired extents of projection for determining the extent and region of plate swing excursion.
 15. The sand slinger machine as described in claim 10 wherein the pivot shaft of said flap plate is journalled in resilient bushings as elastic support allowing vibration in the plate additional to its pivotal swing.
 16. The sand slinger machine as described in claim 10 wherein a plate vibrating unit is mounted on said flap plate to oscillate the plate with a frequency superimposed on its swing frequency.
 17. The sand slinger machine as described in claim 10 wherein said housing includes a charging inlet funnel having a down stream wall side of the funnel comprised of a wear plate in combination with a heating plate.
 18. The sand slinger machine as described in claim 10 wherein the portion of the said casing, extending over the path reach in which charged slung material is engaged by the slinger wheel blade, is comprised of a plurality of replaceable wear plates successively joined to one another by tongue and groove formations.
 19. The sand slinger machine as described in claim 18 wherein as considered relative to wheel rotation direction, the last and first plates of said plurality are provided with respective outwardly extending integral lugs. the lug of the last plate engaged by a fixed projection of said housing, and the lug of the first plate is engaged by a lug of a securing screw extending through the housing and externally tightened and secured relative to the housing.
 20. The sand slinger machine as described in claim 10 wherein there is provided an air venting opening in said housing in the region immediately before the charging inlet as seen in the direction of wheel rotation.
 21. The sand slinger machine as described in claim 10 wherein in the region immediately before the location of the flap plate as seen in the direction of wheel rotation, there is provided the discharge opening of a moisture supply passage into the housing.
 22. The sand slinger machine as described in claim 10, wherein said means supporting and driving the slinger head shiftably as a whole comprises means supporting and driving the head to orbit about an axis and thereby to cause a head discharge stream in a said major motion to travel along a closed circuit region to be filled with slung material.
 23. The sand slinger machine as described in claim 10, wherein said flap plate on its inner side is provided with a changeable wear plate.
 24. The sand slinger machine as described in claim 10, wherein the axis of the flap plate pivot shaft extends substantially parallel to the wheel axis.
 25. The sand slinger machine as described in claim 10, wherein said means supporting and driving the slinger head shiftably as a whole comprises means supporting and driving the head to orbit about an axis and thereby to cause a head discharge stream in a said major motion to travel along a closed circuit region to be filled with slung material; and said slinger head disposed with said flap plate oriented to be swinging in a direction generally transverse to the path of the head as it orbits about said axis, and thereby the wheel discharge direction being oscillatorily continuously varied generally transversely to said major motion. 